Journal of pediatric orthopedics
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The authors evaluated 30 subjects with treated unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis and a range of severity from mild to severe to characterize gait and strength abnormalities using instrumented three-dimensional gait analysis and isokinetic muscle testing. For slip angles less than 30 degrees, kinematic, kinetic, and strength variables were not significantly different from age- and weight-matched controls. For moderate to severe slips, as slip angle increased, passive hip flexion, hip abduction, and internal rotation in the flexed and extended positions decreased significantly. ⋯ Hip and knee strength also decreased with increasing slip severity. All of these changes were present on the affected and to a lesser degree the unaffected side. Body center of mass translation or pelvic obliquity in mid-stance greater than one standard deviation above normal correlated well with the impression of compensated or uncompensated Trendelenburg gait.